English 8 - Unit 12 - A vacation abroad

Flag as Inappropriate

Please select the category that most closely reflects your concern about the presentation, so that we can review it and determine whether it violates our
Terms of Use or isn't appropriate for all viewers.

The USA: Because I see the Statue of Liberty.
Thailand: Because there are a lot of old pagodas there.
Britain: Because I can see a lot of ancient and famous royal palaces and buildings there.
Canada: Because I can see a lot of beautiful sights and lakes.
Japan: Because I can visit Tokyo and Nara, Mount Fuji .

Slide 3

Going out
Having dinner with the Smiths
Leaving San Francisco
wav

Slide 5

Flight 835 at 10:00 on Mon
At 4:00
Atlantic Hotel
Museums and galleries

Past Continuous / Progressive
FORM [was/were + present participle]
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastcontinuous.html
Examples:
You were studying when she called. Were you studying when she called? You were not studying when she called.
USE 1: Interrupted Action in the Past
Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted.
The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.
Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples:
I was watching TV when she called. When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off. While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
USE 2: Specific Time as an Interruption
In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples:
Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
IMPORTANT
In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.
Examples:
Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner. (I started eating at 6 PM.)
Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. (I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.)
USE 3 Parallel Actions
When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples:
I was studying while he was making dinner. Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.
Trung Tâm Gia Sư Hoa Thọ
Web: hoatho.notlong.com

Slide 20

USE 4: Atmosphere
In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.
Example:
When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands. Others were complaining to each other about the bad service.
USE 5: Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The Past Continuous with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression "used to" but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words "always" or "constantly" between "be" and "verb+ing."
Examples:
She was always coming to class late. He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
I didn't like them because they were always complaining.
While vs. When
Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when she called" or "when it bit me." Other clauses begin with "while" such as "while she was sleeping" and "while he was surfing." When you talk about things in the past, "when" is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas "while" is usually followed by Past Continuous. "While" expresses the idea of "during that time." Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence.
Examples:
I was studying when she called. * While I was studying, she called.
REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs
It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.
Examples:
Jane was being at my house when you arrived. Not Correct * Jane was at my house when you arrived. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
You were just studying when she called. * Were you just studying when she called?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store. Active
The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store. Passive

Slide 21

Types of Verbs
Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is extremely important to understand that NOT all English verbs are the same. English verbs are divided into three groups: Normal Verbs, Non-Continuous Verbs, and Mixed Verbs.
Group I: Normal Verbs
Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical actions which you can see somebody doing. These verbs can be used in all tenses.
Normal Verbs: to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.
Ex: I eat dinner every day.
I am eating dinner now.
Group II: Non - Continuous Verbs
The second group, called "Non-Continuous Verbs," is smaller. These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs are rarely used in continuous tenses. They include:
Abstract Verbs
to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...
Possession Verbs
to possess, to own, to belong...
Emotion Verbs
to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...
Ex: He is needing help now. Not Correct  He needs help now. Correct
He is wanting a drink now. Not Correct  He wants a drink now. Correct

Slide 22

Group III Mixed Verbs
The third group, called "Mixed Verbs," is the smallest group. These verbs have more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a unique verb. Some meanings behave like "Non-Continuous Verbs," while other meanings behave like "Normal Verbs."
Mixed Verbs
to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...
List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:
to appear:
Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb Donna seems confused.
My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight. Normal Verb My favorite singer is giving a performance at the jazz club tonight.
to have:
I have a dollar now. Non-Continuous Verb  I possess a dollar.
I am having fun now. Normal Verb  I am experiencing fun now.
to hear:
She hears the music. Non-Continuous Verb  She hears the music with her ears.
She is hearing voices. Normal Verb  She hears something others cannot hear. She is hearing voices in her mind.
to look:
Nancy looks tired. Non-Continuous Verb She seems tired.
Farah is looking at the pictures. Normal Verb She is looking with her eyes.
to miss:
John misses Sally. Non-Continuous Verb He is sad because she is not there.
Debbie is missing her favorite TV program. Normal Verb She is not there to see her favorite program.
to see: I see her. Non-Continuous Verb I see her with my eyes.
I am seeing the doctor. Normal Verb I am visiting or consulting with a doctor. (Also used with dentist and lawyer.)
I am seeing her. Normal Verb I am having a relationship with her.
He is seeing ghosts at night. Normal Verb He sees something others cannot see. For example ghosts, aura, a vision of the future, etc.

Slide 23

to smell:
The coffee smells good. Non-Continuous Verb  The coffee has a good smell.
I am smelling the flowers. Normal Verb  I am sniffing the flowers to see what their smell is like.
to taste:
The coffee tastes good. Non-Continuous Verb  The coffee has a good taste.
I am tasting the cake. Normal Verb  I am trying the cake to see what it tastes like.
to think:
He thinks the test is easy. Non-Continuous Verb  He considers the test to be easy.
She is thinking about the question. Normal Verb  She is pondering the question, going over it in her mind.
to weigh:
The table weighs a lot. Non-Continuous Verb The table is heavy.
She is weighing herself. Normal Verb She is determining her weight.
Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:
to be:
Joe is American. Non-Continuous Verb Joe is an American citizen.
Joe is being very American. Normal Verb Joe is behaving like a stereotypical American.
Joe is being very rude. Normal Verb Joe is behaving very rudely. Usually he is not rude.
Joe is being very formal. Normal Verb Joe is behaving very formally. Usually he is not formal.
NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is noticeably different.
to feel:
The massage feels great. Non-Continuous Verb The massage has a pleasing feeling.
I don't feel well today. Sometimes used as Non-Continuous Verb I am a little sick. I am not feeling well today. Sometimes used as Normal Verb I am a little sick.
NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no real difference in meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am not feeling well today."